Development of the combined electron-ion-plasma method of surface modification of materials and articles

The aim of the research was to detect the patterns of modification of the elemental and phase composition and defective substructure, mechanical and tribological properties of carbon steel during a combined treatment in a single vacuum cycle, including deposition of niobium and silicon films to the surface of steel and irradiation of the «film/substrate» system with an intense pulsed electron beam. The formation of Si-Nb films in a single vacuum cycle with1μm thick each, on 40Cr steel specimens was carried out on «COMPLEX»setup by magnetron (Si) and arc evaporation (Nb) methods with plasma assistance. High-speed melting of the «(Si-Nb)film/(40Cr steel)substrate» system was carried out by an intense pulsed electron beam. The mode of irradiation of the «(Si+Nb)film / (40Crsteel) substrate» system by an intense pulsed electron beam (50 J/cm², 200 µs, 3 pls.) is revealed. This mode allows to create the surface layer which is characterized by the high hardness equal of 9600 MPa (exceedsthe hardness of 40Cr steel in initial (ferrite-pearlite structure) stateby 3.3 times) andwear resistance, more than by 15 timesexceeds the wear resistance of 40Cr steel in initial state. It has been shown that high strength and tribological properties of steel are due to the formation of particles of the strengthening phase (Nb₅Si₃ and Nb_3.61Si_0.39, Nb₀₈Fe₀₂, SiC, NbO₂) and a relatively large (up to 30 μm) thickness of the strengthened layer.

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